Wandee
Young, right centre, was born at Puket, Southern Thailand, but grew up
in Bangkok. Her father was in the restaurant business in Thailand so it
was natural for Wandee, when she came to Canada, 1976, to follow in the
footsteps of her father. Her first restaurant opened in Toronto, 1978.
Called Young Thailand, Wandee claims it was the “First Thai Restaurant
in Canada,” a corporate slogan she has registered and trade marked. She
sold the restaurant a few years later, but kept the name, and reopened
another all Thai restaurant, 1990. Today, Wandee has four Toronto eating
establishments, all specializing in Thai foods, all called Young Thailand
with the one on Church Street, downtown Toronto, the flag ship of the exclusive
chain. Because of her Buddhist background, her restaurants are discreetly
decorated with artifacts, statuettes, figurines, and various images and
carvings reflecting the religious background of her native land. In this
view, Wandee stands between two distinguished Thai diplomats who paid a
visit to one of Wandee’s restaurants in 1999. On the right is Thailand's
Ambassador to Canada, Mr. Sunai Bunyasiriphant and, left, is His Excellency
M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra, M.P., Deputy Minister, Foreign Affairs, Thailand.
[Photo, courtesy Wandee Young]